Vanessa

I arrived at work earlier than usual the next morning.

I barely slept the night before.

Not because of the unknown message.

Not even because of the woman I had seen with Daniel.

It was the name that kept bothering me.

Vanessa.

I had found her profile after seeing her with Daniel outside the café.

Now that I knew her name, I couldn't stop noticing little things.

The way Daniel had smiled at her.

The way she touched his arm.

The way he immediately lied when I asked about her.

I hated that my mind kept replaying those few seconds.

So I decided to focus on work.

At least, I tried.

I had just reached my desk when my phone vibrated.

Daniel: Good morning, beautiful.

I stared at the message.

Normally, I would've smiled.

This time, I just typed:

Me: Good morning.

A second later:

Daniel: Did you sleep well?

Me: Yes.

Daniel: Good. I miss you.

I stared at those words.

Then put my phone face down.

"Seriously?"

I whispered to myself.

How could someone say "I miss you" so easily when they were hiding something?

I didn't have an answer.

And I wasn't going to ask him.

Not yet.

"Elena?"

I looked up.

My coworker Mia was standing beside my desk.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You've said that three times this week."

"Maybe I'm really fine."

"Sure."

She leaned against my desk.

"Anyway, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Who?"

She turned toward the entrance.

A woman was walking into the office.

She was beautiful.

Long dark hair.

Perfect makeup.

Black blouse.

Confident posture.

She looked like someone who never had to wonder whether people were looking at her.

Mia waved.

"Vanessa!"

The woman turned.

She smiled and walked toward us.

My stomach tightened.

It was her.

The woman from the café.

Vanessa.

Mia looked between us.

"Elena, this is Vanessa. She works with Daniel."

Vanessa smiled at me.

"You're Elena, right?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

Her smile widened.

"Daniel's girlfriend."

The way she said it made me uncomfortable.

"Yes."

She held out her hand.

"I'm Vanessa."

I shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

"Finally."

I blinked.

"Finally?"

She laughed.

"Daniel talks about you all the time."

My chest tightened.

"He does?"

"Of course."

She smiled.

"He's always telling us how beautiful you are."

I forced a laugh.

"Really?"

"All the time."

Mia smiled.

"See? I told you she's nice."

Vanessa laughed.

"Daniel is lucky."

I looked at her.

"Why?"

"To have someone like you."

There was nothing wrong with what she said.

But something about her tone bothered me.

Before I could respond, Daniel walked out of the hallway.

His eyes immediately landed on Vanessa.

Then me.

For a brief second, he looked surprised.

"Elena?"

I smiled.

"Surprise."

He walked toward me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I work here."

He laughed.

"You know what I mean."

I smiled.

"I came to see Mia."

He nodded.

Then looked at Vanessa.

"You're early."

Vanessa smiled.

"I could say the same about you."

There was something between them.

Something small.

Something almost invisible.

But I noticed.

Daniel looked at me.

"Have you two met?"

"Just now," Vanessa answered.

"I was introducing them."

He nodded.

"Good."

Vanessa looked at me.

"Daniel never introduced us before?"

"No."

She laughed.

"That's surprising."

Daniel gave her a quick look.

"Why?"

"Nothing."

She smiled.

"I just assumed you two would know each other."

I looked at Daniel.

"Why would we?"

Vanessa shrugged.

"You've been together for three years, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I guess I thought he'd introduce you to everyone at the office."

Daniel laughed.

"She doesn't need to know everyone I work with."

Vanessa looked at him.

"Of course."

I noticed the slight change in her expression.

It lasted only a second.

Then she smiled again.

"I have to go."

She looked at Daniel.

"See you later."

"Yeah."

She walked away.

I watched her disappear down the hallway.

Then I turned toward Daniel.

"She's friendly."

He laughed.

"Yeah. She talks a lot."

"You seem to know her well."

"She's my coworker."

"That's all?"

He looked at me.

"What else would she be?"

I smiled.

"Nothing."

He leaned closer.

"Are you jealous?"

I laughed.

"Of her?"

"Yes."

"Why would I be?"

He smiled.

"Because she's pretty."

I stared at him.

"You're the one who said that."

"I was just saying."

"Sure."

He laughed.

Then he kissed my forehead.

"Don't worry."

"I wasn't."

"Good."

He walked away.

I watched him go.

Then I looked toward the hallway where Vanessa had disappeared.

Something wasn't right.

I didn't know what.

But I knew I wasn't imagining the tension between them.

Later that afternoon, Mia came to my desk.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Do you like Vanessa?"

I looked at her.

"Why?"

"I don't know. You seemed quiet around her."

I smiled.

"She's nice."

Mia laughed.

"That's not what I asked."

"What are you trying to say?"

She lowered her voice.

"People talk."

My smile disappeared.

"About what?"

She looked around.

"About Daniel and Vanessa."

My heart stopped.

"What about them?"

Mia hesitated.

"I don't know if it's true."

"Tell me."

"Some people think they're close."

"How close?"

She shrugged.

"They eat lunch together sometimes."

"That's normal."

"Yeah."

She looked uncomfortable.

"And sometimes they leave together."

I stared at her.

"Together?"

"Sometimes."

"Like coworkers?"

"Maybe."

I leaned back.

"Who told you?"

"No one specifically."

"Mia."

She sighed.

"Don't make a big deal out of it. I'm just telling you what I've heard."

I nodded.

"Okay."

She squeezed my shoulder.

"Maybe it's nothing."

"Maybe."

She walked away.

I sat there quietly.

Maybe it was nothing.

Maybe Vanessa was simply Daniel's coworker.

Maybe they were friends.

Maybe everyone was exaggerating.

But there was one thing I couldn't forget.

The woman from the café.

The same woman who had been standing beside my boyfriend.

The same woman who had smiled at him like she knew him well.

And now I knew her name.

Vanessa.

At around five, I received a message from Daniel.

Daniel: I'll be home late tonight.

I stared at it.

I typed:

Me: Again?

He replied almost immediately.

Daniel: Sorry. Work.

I looked across the office.

Daniel was nowhere in sight.

Then I heard laughter from the hallway.

I turned.

Vanessa walked past.

Daniel was behind her.

They were talking.

She said something that made him laugh.

He touched her shoulder.

She looked back at him.

Their eyes met.

I watched them for a few seconds.

Neither noticed me.

Then Vanessa walked away.

Daniel turned around.

He finally saw me.

His smile disappeared.

"Elena."

I smiled.

"Hi."

He walked toward me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just finishing some work."

"Oh."

He looked toward Vanessa.

Then back at me.

"Are you waiting for me?"

"No."

He smiled.

"Good."

"Why?"

"I thought you were."

He touched my waist.

"I'll see you tonight."

I looked at him.

"You said you're working late."

"I am."

I smiled.

"Okay."

He kissed my cheek.

Then walked away.

I watched him disappear.

For some reason, I didn't feel jealous.

I felt calm.

Almost too calm.

Because now I had something I didn't have yesterday.

A name.

A face.

And a reason to pay attention.

That night, when Daniel came home, he acted completely normal.

He kissed me.

Asked about my day.

Complained about work.

Then he went to shower.

His phone stayed on the table.

The screen lit up.

I looked at it.

One notification appeared.

Vanessa: Thank you for today. ❤️

My heart sank.

I didn't touch the phone.

I didn't open the message.

I didn't need to.

I had seen enough.

I looked toward the bathroom.

The shower was still running.

Then I looked back at the phone.

For the first time, I wondered if Daniel's "perfect boyfriend" image was nothing more than a performance.

And if it was...

I was beginning to wonder how long he'd been performing it.

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